DON BRENNAN, QMI AGency

OTTAWA - Could the surprising Senators be the Cinder-fellas of the spring?

Indeed. Not only are they positioning themselves for a return to the playoffs, but also for status as contenders when they get there.

Yes, of course, most will see them as underdogs once the post-season tournament begins. But most also thought they’d wind up near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings in this “rebuilding” year.

With less than a month to go and no expectations, the Senators look very much like they’ll settle comfortably in the Top 8. They have a 36-25-9 record and are seventh in the conference — but also just two points back of the Northeast Division-leading Boston Bruins. Overtaking the slumping Bruins would give Ottawa the second seed and home-ice advantage in the first round.

Should they get beyond that to the final four, anything is possible.

“I think no matter where you sit, you try and set goals for yourself, push yourself to achieve something,” veteran defenceman Chris Phillips said after Monday’s practice. “For us, that’s what it is right now, to try and take the division lead. It’s attainable, but it’s going to take a good string of games.”

Injuries to key players could derail their hopes, but what team isn’t in that situation? Playoff inexperience will also be a factor, but knowing what it takes at that time of the season are guys like Sergei Gonchar (118 games), Daniel Alfredsson (107 games), Phillips (97 games), Chris Neil (74 games), Jason Spezza (46 games), Milan Michalek (40 games) and Filip Kuba (24 games). Even Erik Karlsson and Craig Anderson, each of whom have played in six playoff games, will not be going in blind.

Looking at the big picture today, the Pittsburgh Penguins appear to be the team to beat in the East. They’ve won nine in a row and are eagerly awaiting the return of Sidney Crosby. But the defending- champion Bruins are 12-14-2 in their past 28 and could be running out of steam after their long, hard run to the Cup last spring.

And while they went with their backup goalie, the conference-leading Rangers didn’t exactly look invincible in their 4-1 loss to Ben Bishop, in just his second game, and the Senators here last week.

The Flyers? Ottawa is 1-1-1 against them this season.

Even if they don’t earn home-ice advantage, the Senators have proven themselves in the role of visitors. The only teams in the NHL to suffer fewer regulation-time “away” defeats than their 12 are the Rangers and the Canucks.

When they play the Habs at the Bell Centre Wednesday, the Senators will have the opportunity to record their 19th road victory, which is one more than they have at Scotiabank Place.

However, Phillips says home-ice advantage would still be preferred, based on previous playoffs in this city, where “everybody” gets revved up.

“Not only the players pick it up a notch in the playoffs, but our fans do, too,” he said. “It’s an exciting time of year. Equally, to have to force another team to be on the road. It’s only an advantage if you take advantage of it, but I think it would be any team’s preference.”

Optimism has grown in recent months, as the Senators have been the best team in the Northeast since Jan. 1. Losing No. 1 goalie Craig Anderson has not been the setback that was feared.

“He was playing really well when he did go down, but at the same time I don’t want to say he was stealing us games and was the sole reason for winning,” said Phillips. “Pretty well since the fathers’ trip, we took a hard look at our game and saw that we had to be better defensively. When the team is doing that, you put a little less pressure on the goalie.”

Of course, the ability of rookies Ben Bishop and Robin Lehner to rise to the challenge softened the blow, too.

“I think I was like everybody when Craig went down ... uncertainty makes you a little bit cautious,” said Paul MacLean. “As a coach, you like knowing, you don’t like hoping. Right now we know we’re going to get good goaltending, and that makes us all feel a little better.”

Over the next few weeks, there will be plenty of chatter about who would be the best first-round opponent for the Senators. But the team itself will be doing no such talking.

“You don’t want to pick your poison, that’s for sure,” said Phillips. “You want to be playing your best hockey going into the playoffs, and wherever you fall in that Top 8, you deal with it, move forward and concentrate on your game. You don’t want to be thinking, if this happens or that happens or if we finish here or there. Especially when you look at the league now, there’s so much parity. There’s no such thing as an easy night. To pick what team you want to play, that’s not a great thing to do.”